The largest food manufacturing employer in Adair County produces a variety of bacon and ham products, drawing its pork supply from the Midwest and sending products to grocery stores, restaurants and cafeterias across the nation.

The Kirksville plant employs about 550 full-time workers and has been in operation since 1986.

The largest manufacturing employer in the county, Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer has a regional economic impact of more than $77 million a year in payroll, taxes, utilities and purchases of local goods and services, by the company's estimate.

The Kirksville plant purchases its bacon bellies from hog farmers located within about 100 miles of the plant and then takes the raw pork and turns it into products like Oscar Mayer Butcher Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon and Center Cut Bacon. And while the bacon may be locally sourced, it gets sent across the nation and beyond.

These products are distributed from Kirksville nationwide, including some from the U.S. to parts of Canada and Mexico. Kirksville-made bacon could be found in both grocery stores and at restaurants as well as larger food service outlets including schools, universities and corporate cafeterias.